Montgomery County Juvenile Probation utilizes a wide variety of pre-trial and community supervision services to ensure that the community is properly protected and that young offenders are rehabilitated. In the past 20 years, the MCJP has supervised juvenile offenders as they completed 390,000 hours of community services, and has recovered more than $2 million in restitution for victims. Currently this department has ten staff members with an average caseload of 35 cases.
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Qualifications for Juvenile Probation Officers in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
The minimum requirements for juvenile probation officer jobs in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania include:
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with at least 18 credits in behavioral or social sciences and a bachelor’s degree
- Successful completion of a written exam assessing skills and knowledge
- Possession of a valid Pennsylvania motor vehicle license
- Ability to obtain certification from County Probation and Parole Officers’ Firearm Education and Training Commission
Training Requirements
Juvenile probation officers who wish to carry a firearm during the course of the job must complete the Basic Firearms Training Academy, which includes 49 hours of instruction in
- Introduction to firearms
- Shooting fundamentals
- Use of force
- Officer’s authority
- Firearm safety
Upon completion of the course, the juvenile probation officer must qualify in the use of a handgun and periodically re-qualify with it in order to maintain certification. New juvenile probation officers must also complete 40 hours of training in juvenile probation concepts and procedures prior to employment and each year afterwards. A supervisor or senior officer will closely supervise new officers for at least the first 12 months of employment. Chief juvenile probation officers must submit a report on the annual training received by each officer under their command each year.
Juvenile Probation Process in Montgomery County
New offenders are seen by probation officers at intake. There is a set of assessment metrics used to determine the most effective juvenile justice or diversion option for each offender. This intake assessment will consider:
- School status
- Family situation
- Mental illness
- Level of charges
- Criminal history
- Community involvement
- Police officer recommendations
During the intake interview the officer will determine the amount of community service restitution, school attendance, curfew and counseling is required. The officer may then choose one of four responses:
- Issuing a warning or reprimand
- Holding the case open for six to nine months
- Juvenile may be placed on Consent Decree
- Juvenile may be placed under Protective Supervision
Among the supervision programs used by officers are the Electronic In-home Detention system, which utilizes an electronic ankle bracelet to ensure offenders remain on home property. The link also alerts officers when they depart for school, treatment or work. The probation department also manages financial repayment by offenders. Failure to pay fines or supervision fees may result in a District Juvenile Court hearing. The presiding judge may then assign the offender to a period of detention and/or loss of wages or governmental benefits.